M&S · Agency AI Audit
They know the language. They haven't done the work.
Brief: M&S asked for an assessment of their agency's AI pitch before briefing the CEO.
Six dimensions assessed
Presented a retail AI narrative that could apply to any FTSE 100 client. No reference to Stuart Machin's public AI commitments, M&S Food's demand forecasting work, or the Sparks loyalty programme.
Technical Credibility
6/10
Familiar with the tools. Can demonstrate a working prototype. The gap is deployment at scale — nothing in the pitch showed infrastructure for a 32-million-customer operation.
Data & Personalisation
3/10
Personalisation was mentioned twice. The Sparks loyalty dataset — one of the most valuable in UK retail — was never referenced. This is the most disqualifying gap.
Referenced two case studies. Neither was verified in the room. Neither was in retail. Impressive work in other sectors doesn't translate without a bridge.
Senior team has the titles. Junior team is where AI literacy lives — and that layer wasn't present in the room or in the credentials.
Implementation Clarity
3/10
A three-phase roadmap was presented. No integration with the existing M&S digital stack, no indication of how outputs would connect to the buying or personalisation systems already in place.